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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26397622">Sharing Is Caring</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/lisedelorme/pseuds/lisedelorme'>lisedelorme</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Cardinal (TV 2017)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Sex, Vaginal Fingering, ‘We Have to Share A Bed’ Trope</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 10:40:14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,909</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26397622</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/lisedelorme/pseuds/lisedelorme</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Ah, we’ve reached the much loved “sharing a bed” trope. Forever my favorite. Thank you once again, aeryn_sun for putting this idea in my brain and for letting me cry about this fictional universe literally all the time.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>John Cardinal &amp; Lise Delorme, John Cardinal/Lise Delorme</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>22</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. What Are We Doing?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“We’re <em>sharing</em> a bed?” </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">She looked over at Cardinal incredulously, eyebrows raised and then back down at the single sized bed in the center of the room. She could have sworn the room they had booked was advertised for two.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Cardinal, you didn’t book for two?” </span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">Her stomach flipped over in her gut at the prospect of having to sleep next to her partner - her </span> <em><span class="s2">married</span></em> <span class="s1"> partner.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">“It’s a B&amp;B, Delorme... our cover as</span> <span class="s1">a uh- as <em>couple</em> would be blown if they knew what kind of room we were sleeping in.” </span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">He was trying to play it casual, like sleeping in the same bed together was something they did every now and again. He didn’t realize</span> <span class="s1"> his tense limbs and rigid stance said something entirely different.</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“It’s only one night...” He reasoned, unconvincingly.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Mhm.” </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">She ran a hand through her hair, unintentionally mussing her neatly pinned bun, trying to come up with a better plan that didn’t involve sharing an <em>impossibly</em> small bed with a man who she was <em>impossibly </em>attracted to and who was <em>impossibly</em> unavailable. </span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">She could smell his cologne from across the room, mixed with the muted undertones of perspiration which </span> <span class="s2">shouldn’t have </span><span class="s1">smelled nearly as good as it did.</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I’ll uh- I can sleep on the floor…” he offered, quietly, sensing the apprehension emanating from every bone in her body.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Cardinal, the floor is hardwood and ice cold. It’s fine. It’s one night, like you said..” </span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">They stood there staring at the bed, the silence seemed to pulsate between them.</span> <span class="s1">She was forcing herself to accept the reality that they were, in fact, going to be sleeping together. </span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Okay so uh- we’ll both... we’ll both sleep in the bed then.” He concluded, awkwardly.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">It sounded more like a question than a statement and she nodded weakly in response.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">There was a sudden sense of urgency flooding through her veins and she took an unconscious step back towards the exit. The urgency to flee was overwhelming.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">Lise glanced between the small bed and her partner again; <em>t</em></span> <em><span class="s1"><em>ouching</em> would be inevitable.</span> </em></p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">She woke to a heavy warmth at her back, firm and comforting and she snuggled into it, trying in her still half-asleep state to keep cozy. A strong arm tugged her in close, splayed a wide palm gently across her stomach. His hot breath was steady against her neck, rippling her skin in goosebumps.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Her body reacted intuitively while her mind remained in a semi-conscious fog. His erection pushed hard into her ass and she arched into it, grinding herself lazily against him. She hadn’t been with another man since Josh and the feeling of being wanted in such a primal and physical way had her body thrumming with desire.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">She was met with well placed kisses along her neck and she relished in the feeling of his rough beard, brushing abrasively against her sensitive skin. His tongue licked the spot just under her ear and she hummed, softly. When his hand pushed lower down her abdomen, nearing the apex of her thighs, she reached behind to grab at his hip.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Her skin felt like it was on fire. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">He stopped his exploration of her neck with his tongue, briefly to roll her onto her back, and that was when the fog began to lift and the reality of the situation hit her with full force.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“<em>Cardinal!</em>” she startled</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">Hearing his name on her lips seemed to have the opposite effect, spurring  him on rather than halting him. He laved his mouth over the expanse of her neck and she whimpered again because </span> <em><span class="s2">fuck..</span></em><span class="s1"> she wanted him. She really, <em>really</em> wanted him, but not like this. </span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">She ran her fingers through his hair, tugging roughly in an attempt to gain his attention without scaring him half to death. <em>Wasn’t there some kind of rule about how to wake someone who was sleepwalking? Technically he wasn’t walking...</em></span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">His mouth descended upon hers, </span><span class="s1">cutting off her train of thought. In hindsight, she should have pushed him off sooner. She should have yelled out his name and scrambled out of bed, distancing herself as far away from his as the room would allow. He had a <em>wife</em>. A </span> <em><span class="s2">sick</span> </em><span class="s1"><em> wife</em>. </span></p><p class="p1">
  <em> <span class="s2">Shit.</span></em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">His tongue tangled with hers, wet and warm and she kissed him back briefly before finding the strength to pull away. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Cardinal!” she spoke abruptly and finally, his eyes cracked open, the darkness of them meeting hers head on. </span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">It took him a moment to fully awaken before he was able to recognize with total clarity the position they were in. She watched as his face transformed from relaxed to confused, confused to flustered and then flustered to mortified all within the span of a few seconds. They remained frozen in place, panting, staring at each other like deer in headlights. </span> <span class="s1">But his palm never left her belly and his erection hadn’t dissipated in the slightest. </span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“<em>Shit</em>. Lise, I’m... I-“</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“-No, it’s- Cardinal... It was a mistake. It’s okay.”</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">The word </span> <em><span class="s2">mistake </span></em><span class="s2">weighed</span><span class="s2"> heavily</span><span class="s2"> on</span><span class="s1"> her tongue.</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">She felt his muscles flex against her and watched his gaze drop down to her swollen lips, where his eyes lingered for a few short seconds.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“<em>Cardinal</em>.” His name sounded like a plea, masked poorly as a warning and she was unsure which version he would hear. </span>
</p><p class="p1">He dipped his head low, waiting for her to meet him half way.</p><p class="p1">
  <em> <span class="s1">He heard the plea. </span> </em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">She pulled him down towards her, and pressed her mouth to his in a bruising kiss. His tongue passed her lips as his hand snuck beneath the elastic waist of her pants. His fingers expertly located her sensitive bundle of nerves over the thin fabric of her panties and with an experimental gentleness, he began to test the boundaries of how far she was willing to let him go. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">She figured by that point they had already crossed multiple forbidden lines so she didn’t think much when she arched into him, her mouth parting against his in a breathy moan making him rub up against her with purpose. He slid the last bit of damp fabric to the side, and when the tips of his fingers met her slick folds, her eyes slammed shut. He spread her arousal in maddening circles against her entrance but left her begging for more.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">And then his hand disappeared. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">She met his gaze in question, frowning slightly at the loss and watched his eyes flash with a roguishness she had never seen before. He ran a single wet finger along the seam of her mouth and the corner of her lip tugged upwards in a small smile. It appeared John Cardinal was a playful lover... the new revelation made Lise’s body buzz with want. <em>He was sexy as hell</em>. She held his gaze with hooded eyes, as her tongue darted out to meet the rough pad of his finger, gently sucking his digit into the wet heat of her mouth. She could taste herself on his skin and she moaned, louder than expected.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">He bit back a groan of his own, squashing it down by kissing her hard, around his own finger. </span> <span class="s1">When her tangy arousal met his tastebuds, he bucked into her. His hand quickly made its way back down to her soaking wet folds, where he curled that same long, deft finger inside of her and she was forced to stop kissing him, gasping air into her lungs.</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“<em>Mnm</em>-“ She hummed, catching her breath.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">His hand had little space to maneuver underneath the layers of clothing, but his palm rocked against her core as he added another thick finger inside of her. She fisted the hair at the nape of his neck.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“<em>Merde</em>.. <em>J’ai besoin de toi maintenant!</em>” She cried.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“So beautiful<em>..</em>.” his husky voice mumbled into the hollow of her throat as his teeth grazed roughly against her skin.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">She had to stop him before he gave her a hickey.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“<em>Wai</em>-,” She managed to gasp.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">She should to stop this. She should wake him from this fever dream and open his eyes to what he was doing... the choice he was making... </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Either he didn’t hear her, or chose not to because when he moved again, it was with even more fervour than before, fucking her with his fingers rough and slow, just how she liked it. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em> <span class="s2">“Oh, shit... tabarnak..”</span> </em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">She grabbed at his t-shirt, his hair, the bedsheets, to gain some purchase as she felt herself giving in.</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">His body was taut with repressed need, a yearning ache that threatened to swallow him whole. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">He hadn’t been touched by his wife in a <em>very</em> long time. <em>Years</em>. And he hadn’t been touched by another woman <em>other than his wife</em> in... decades.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The way Lise arched into his touch, wanton and trusting made his cock physically twitch for her. <em>He had never felt so hard in his entire life. He wanted all of her. He wanted to feel her body clench tightly around his length as she shuddered beneath him. He wanted to come inside of her, warm and protected.</em></span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">He felt her teeth sink into the muscle of his shoulder, using him to cover the noises bursting from her throat. With every deep plunge of his fingers, he felt her hot breath against his shirt. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">He slowed his movements, gently removing his fingers from her body and heard her inhale sharply at the sudden feeling of emptiness. He hovered over her, momentarily struck by the sight of her. This woman... his partner—his best friend.</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p1">
  <em> <span class="s2">He kissed her then, so softly their lips hardly touched. It was a kiss full of emotion. Full of so many words left unsaid for far too long. What they were doing was no longer playful. It was no longer meaningless. Maybe it never was.</span></em>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Maybe we shouldn’t...” she </span>
  <span class="s1">panted, trying to catch her breath.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">His eyes found hers andfor an infinite moment he could see the dark swirls of raw, desperate desire; unguarded and pooling deep within her. She felt a hot blush spread across her cheeks under his intense gaze. She <em>had</em> to be the voice of reason here.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“John, you don’t want to do t-“</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">“I </span> <em><span class="s2">do</span></em> <span class="s1"> want to do this.” he countered, using his fingers to trace along the sensitive skin of her ribs in reassurance.</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“<em>Look</em>, </span>
  <em>
    <span class="s2">I don’t want to be something you regret...</span>
  </em>
  <span class="s1">” She whispered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Her throat had grown thick with emotion and she knew he could hear it. </span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">Her words halted his movements and she quivered in his embrace, her limbs rigid and clenched underneath him with uncertainty. </span> <span class="s1">Then slowly, the fingers at her stomach spread so his whole hand moved warmly against her, becoming more purposeful, crawling underneath her shirt.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">“I have </span> <em><span class="s2">a lot</span></em> <span class="s1"> of regrets.” he said, quietly, “But</span> <em><span class="s2"> you</span></em><span class="s1">?”</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">She bit down on her lower lip self consciously. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Lise, you would <em>never</em> be one of them.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">He read her gaze, quickly finding the main source of her apprehension; one he should have cleared up with her a while ago...</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“My wife has been gone for a long time.” He confessed in a hollowed out voice.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em> <span class="s1">Catherine was never coming back to him. He knew it, Kelly knew it and Catherine knew it better than any of them. Grieving the loss of a person you still loved and who was still alive didn’t have a guidebook but he had been working through it by himself, day by day.</span> </em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">She felt her heart fracture at his confession but he didn’t appear to be wallowing in the loss of his relationship...quite the opposite—he seemed to be attempting to let her go. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">He brushed a curly lock of hair from her face and gently tucked it back behind her ear. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“You know what this is.” He nodded.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">She let out a shuddering breath, realizing the crossroads she had found herself at. <em>She could let this man care for her—not entirely, not the way she’d dreamt of but as much as he could give her... </em></span>
  <em><span class="s2">or</span> <span class="s1"> she could continue working at his side, loving him without ever really having had him.</span></em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">He laid his forehead against hers, giving her time to think.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Her throat clogged with a tangle of emotions.</span>
</p><p class="p2">“John, I- what this is for me-“</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">“-is what it is for me</span> <span class="s1">too.”</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Their noses aligned and he breathed with her, silently communicating everything he couldn’tsay with words, not yet. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">He watched a single tear slip down the sharp line of her cheekbone and caught it with his lips, pressing a kiss to her damp rosy skin. </span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">It was difficult for her to wrap her mind around all of this new information and the deeply intense emotions now flooding her system. Cardinal had never been so soft with her before, so... </span> <em><span class="s2">certain</span></em> and <em>forthright</em><span class="s1">. Normally, he was the one backing out of anything remotely intense but here he was, taking the plunge before she’d even had a chance to dip her toes in the water. </span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">He shifted his face close to her ear, curving his large palm around her neck while he held her head cradled protectively against the arch of his shoulder.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“<em>Trust me.</em>” He whispered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">She squeezed her eyes shut. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I always have.” </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. We Really Did That</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>No explanation needed. Just pure unadulterated smut. (With a bit of fluff sown in, of course...)</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">Lise sat up, promptly peeling off her t-shirt and unhooking her bra, her eyes never leaving his—not even for a second. Every movement she made was measured and he watched as the straps slowly descended from her shoulders, cups dropping the soft weight of her small breasts, almost as if in slow motion.</p><p class="p1">After that, he was on her, crawling over her body, knees sinking into the mattress as he wrapped his mouth around one of her breasts. He sucked the warm bud of her nipple into his mouth and used his teeth and tongue to gently roll it, keeping his other hand busy by flicking and circling her left nipple with his thumb and forefinger, working her over deftly.  </p><p class="p1">The taste and feel of her skin was intoxicating. Before that evening, Cardinal felt as if he knew his partner better than most, but now... <em>now</em>, he knew things about her he very much hoped few else did—like the way her sweat and perfume blended together, creating a salty-sweet taste he would never be able to properly describe but would definitely remember for the rest of his life... She was absolutely <em>incredible</em>.</p><p class="p1">Suddenly her back arched high off the mattress and her fingers gripped the strands of his hair. The sounds falling from her lips spurred him on further, moans and whimpers and breathless incoherencies. He pressed her down, hips rolling to seek her arousal and only then did he feel her knees tighten around his waist and without warning, she flipped them.</p><p class="p1">He landed on his back with an <em>oomph</em> of breath while she ground him into the mattress, rising above him, fiery and indomitable. Christ, she was so young and lithe, her body taut with impressive muscle strength for a woman her size. He knew she boxed in her spare time and assumed that was how she’d acquired such a beautifully toned physique. He instantly felt very much his age and silently vowed to extend his usual jogging route by a few kilometres.</p><p class="p1">He lifted his hips and she silently helped him remove his boxers before simply tugging her own underwear to the side, holding his gaze as she slowly slid over the length of him, trapping his cock between his stomach and the slick welcoming heat of her body. Up and down, slow and methodical, she worked him over and he couldn't help but stare at her, his heart racing, the blood pounding through his veins, throbbing in his lips, his neck, rushing to where he was almost painfully aroused.</p><p class="p1">He watched her, mesmerized and she stared back at him, her eyes so dark, like a hedge-maze at dusk—<em>labyrinthine</em>, deep and mysterious... he could so easily get lost in her. Truthfully, he already was. He had been for a long time.</p><p class="p1">Her slender fingers wrapped around his length, guiding him as she raised over him and took him inside of her, inch by slow, torturous inch, her hands braced on his stomach, short nails digging into his flesh. She was so warm and snug and beautiful that he almost wanted to sob at the powerful sweep of sensations currently bombarding him; both physical and emotional. </p><p class="p1">“<em>Lise</em>,” he groaned, a tortured-sounding plea; for what, he wasn't sure of.</p><p class="p1">She was incredibly tight and he was considerably large, so it was a bit of a slow process but it was one neither had any qualms taking their time with.</p><p class="p1">She shivered and a patch of goose bumps flared across her midsection. He chased their path with his fingertips, trailing his index finger up the ladder of her ribcage, watching her body arch at his gentle touch.</p><p class="p1">Her hips finally settled snugly against his, taking him even deeper and they moaned quietly in tandem.</p><p class="p1">Her eyes were hooded, cheeks flushed and lips slack as if in shock and his head fell further back into the pillows as he breathed heavily. Cardinal knew there was no way in hell he was going to last longer than sixty seconds.</p><p class="p1">Not with her.</p><p class="p1">“<em>Just</em>...” he whispered.</p><p class="p1">The rest of his thought was cut off as she circled her hips, her muscles gripping him tightly.</p><p class="p1"><em>Just give me a second because- jesus fucking christ, you feelincredible and I don’t think </em> <span class="s1"> <em>my</em> </span> <em> body was made for this level of pleasure. </em></p><p class="p1">He molded his palms to her hipbones, not to hold her in place but to feel her move above him, lose himself in the rhythm she was creating, the undulations of her body over his, the tremble of her stomach muscles beneath his fingertips, the pinpoints of near-pain where her fingers dug into the muscles of his stomach, the tight, slick, so-warm clasp of her walls, how perfect she felt around him. He ran his hands up her ribcage, coming to cradle her breasts, thumbs circling the hard nipples in tandem with each thrust. She moaned, the sound vibrating in her chest; arching her body unconsciously.</p><p class="p1">He couldn't get enough of her, needed her closer, more of her, all of her. Needed her to feel deep down, that this couldn't be—wouldn't be just a one time thing. He needed her to <em>feel</em> him.</p><p class="p1">With his arms around her he drew her down against him until her breasts were pressed to his sweat slicked chest, her legs draped open around his thighs, her body spread out across his. His eyes caressed every glorious curve, mapped every sleek line and freckle and dimple that he couldn't wait to explore with his lips and fingertips.</p><p class="p1">He was in turmoil, heart racing and muscles quivering. He thrust into her, short and sharp, and she mewled, her muscles clenching around him and her head falling until her temple kissed his cheek.</p><p class="p1">His arm wound around her back while his other hand skated down to grab at the flesh of her ass, adding pressure, he helped to steady her movements as he thrusted and thrusted. She swore in French with every jolt of his body into hers, a glorious melody as the tension sharpened beneath her skin, her muscles shivery as she climbed higher. He could <em>feel</em> her climb, fast and inexorably.</p><p class="p1">And he could barely hold on himself, so filled with... <em>her</em>—her scent and her softness, her milky skin, the light weight of her draped over him and the edges of her hair tickling his neck, the pearl of sweat that slid down her spine, the perfect heat of her body molded around him; he had to focus on the rhythm of his hands and his hips that were consistently growing sloppier because there was nothing as vital as making her come first.</p><p class="p1">It was breathtaking, the ragged sound of her voice as she quietly cried out, fingers clawing into the bedding around them, back arched and muscles tight, clenching and quivering around him.</p><p class="p1">He caught the tail end of her moans with his mouth, sliding his lips over hers, capturing  the desperate sounds as his tongue slipped against hers. It was sloppy and breathless and maybe one of the best kisses of his entire life and at last he tensed, everything tight and sharp until he broke apart almost violently, his vision whitening as he spasmed feverishly.</p><p class="p1">He found himself slowly return to awareness as the chill of the room crept across his skin, the loss of her warmth against his chest suddenly very apparent. His limbs were sluggish as he tried to move, his eyelids heavy when he blinked them open, seeking.</p><p class="p1">He needn’t look far, his partner was stretched out beside him, her dark eyes wide as she regarded him solemnly, her head cradled in her palm. He exhaled a breath he didn't know he'd been holding; hadn’t realized how tense he'd been until he could almost taste the relief against his tongue. She wasn’t shutting down or out, she was there, seeking him out too.</p><p class="p1">He wanted to reach for her, cradle her into his arms but he didn’t know the new rules as to who they were now. Although they <em>had</em> just...</p><p class="p1">Instead he reached for the sheet, drew the edge up over both of them, watched the fabric settle over the sloped lines of her body like heavy snow on a mountaintop .</p><p class="p1">“So...”</p><p class="p1">Her voice was quiet yet broke through the silence just the same, startling him from his reverie.</p><p class="p1">“We really did that.”</p><p class="p1">What should have sounded like sharp 'T's’, instead rounded out into 'D's’ and as usual, her accent wrapped itself around his heart like a silkened ribbon. He scooted closer, toes and knees brushing hers beneath the sheet.</p><p class="p1">"Yeah," he husked, quietly, "We did. Is it- are you okay?”</p><p class="p1">She smiled softly and he immediately clocked the flash of melancholy ripple across her face. If he hadn’t been looking, he would have missed it.</p><p class="p1">“We have a long day ahead of us, John. We should try to get at least another hour of sleep in.”</p><p class="p1">There she was. <em>This</em> Lise he knew well; the woman who erected her walls when things began to get even a little too complicated. She was protecting herself and he didn’t blame her but he <em>did</em> move swiftly before it was too late, pulling her small body into the hard press of of his. </p><p class="p1">“I know this is... a lot to take in. It is for me too.” He said, his voice hushed.</p><p class="p1">Her eyes found his once more, gazing up at him with such reverence and fear. It was an odd mix of emotions yet one he completely understood.</p><p class="p1">“But I don’t regret a single thing and I really hope you don’t either, Lise because I would- I’d like to do... <em>that</em>... again. If- uh, if that’s something you want... too. And... and more— than <em>just</em> that. I know technically I’m still married so this is-“</p><p class="p1">She watched him flush, growing embarrassed by his own ramblings and pressed her mouth to the base of his throat to quiet him. The warm, prickly skin beneath her lips comforting beyond belief. Everything between them was so new yet so... <em>familiar</em>. It was strange.</p><p class="p1">“It’s something I want.” She murmured, quietly against him, “Wake me in half an hour and I’ll show you just how much.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I'm so unbelievably sorry for how long this second chapter took!!! I start so many new stories, scrap them, start again and then completely forget about the current WIP’s! I blame Karine and Billy for making me love these characters so much!</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>So I’ve realized it’s practically impossible for me to write smut that doesn’t include fluff and you will probably never find a fic I’ve written that doesn’t have a happy ending. Maybe it’s because real life has enough complications and creating happiness wherever you can feels necessary sometimes.. ANYWAYS. This truly did take an immensely fluffy turn. We don’t often see a confident “take the reigns” Cardinal and I wanted to see that side with this. I by no means am endorsing infidelity either... I just think at some point Catherine and John would have let go of one another. But that’s my opinion... in my fictional world, Catherine is usually much sicker than she is in the show. Which sounds horrible but.. it is what it is...</p></blockquote></div></div>
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